An invaluable dua for making the right decision. We will write in more detail How to read the prayer of Istikhara? Prayer asking for help from Allah

In the course of life, everyone more than once encounters “difficulties when a person does not know how to act in a given situation. Has doubts about making decisions, wonders if “it will be good to do this act. When we need to turn to the Almighty, and ask Him for help, wanting to get an answer to our question. We seek the help of Allah when we start doing things like marrying someone, buying a house or a car, looking for a job, going on a trip, etc. At such important and doubtful moments, every Muslim is prescribed to perform the prayer of Istikhara.

In the Arabic translation of Istikhara - the search for good, choice in business. The choice between two deeds, who needs to make one of the correct decisions preferred by Allah. They say: “Ask Allah for help and He will give you a choice.

Who and when to pray Istikhara

The performance of Istikhara is desirable for those who wish to perform any specific action. If a Muslim hesitates in choosing between several solutions, the prayer, after listening carefully and weighing the advice of “experienced ones, stops at one thing and performs the Istikhara prayer. After prayer, with a calm soul, he follows the intended goal. And if the matter is good, as the Great Allah wills, he will undoubtedly facilitate it or eliminate this matter. The one who has read Istikhara will not repent or doubt the result, the outcome of his case. In any case, whichever of the options is not realized - it will be good. Well, if it turned out as you wanted, and good in another, if it didn’t work out.

It should be noted that this prayer is performed for a specific case. If, for example, we ask for happiness, success in work and study, health, well-being, new job, family life, then we make an ordinary prayer (dua).

The Istikhara prayer has no “time frame, it can be performed anytime and anywhere (except for places that are not allowed to pronounce the name of Allah and are not allowed for prayer times). But the last third of the night is still desirable and preferable. It is also better to read it before reading the witr prayer in accordance with the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, transmitted from Abdullah the son of Umar, may Allah be pleased with them:

اجعلوا آخر صلاتكم بالليل وتراً - “Make Witr your last prayer at night (hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim).

How to pray Istikhara

When you are going to do something, and sincerely want Allah to show you the right decision, then for this you must first perform ablution (wudu) and an additional prayer of 2 rak'ahs. After the prayer, a special Prayer (Istikhara) should be read.

It is reported that Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: - The Messenger of Allah, (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), taught us that one should ask for help in all matters, just as he taught us one or another sura from Qur'an, and said: "If one of you wants to do something, let him make an additional prayer of two rak'ahs, and then say:

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْتَخِيْرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيْمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوْبِ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ آُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا اْلأَمْرَ - وَيُسَمَّى حَاجَتَهُ- خَيْرٌ لِيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) فَاقْدُرْهُ لِيْ وَيَسِّرْهُ لِيْ ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِيْ فِيْهِ، وَإِنْ آُنْتَ تَعْلَمُأَنَّ هَذَا اْلأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِيْ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّيْ وَاصْرِفْنِيْ عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ آَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِيْ بِهِ

"Allahumma, inni astakhiru-kya bi-"ilmi-kya va astakdirukya bi-kudrati-kya wa as" alu-kya min fadli-kya-l-"azimi fa-inna-kya takdiru wa la akdiru, wa ta" lamu va la a "lamu, wa Anta" allamu-l-guyubi! ​​Allahumma, in kunta ta "lamu anna haza-l-amra khairun li fi dini, wa ma" ashi wa "akibati amri, f-kdur-hu li wa yassir- hu li, the amount of barik li fi-chi; wa in kunta ta "lamu anna haza-l-amra sharrun li fi dini, wa ma" ashi wa "akibati amri, fa-srif-hu" an-ni wa-srif-ni "an-hu wa-kdur liya-l -haira haysu kyan, the sum of ardi-ni bi-hi."

The general meaning of this prayer is: "O Allah, I ask You to help me with Your knowledge and Your power and I ask You to show me great mercy, for You can, but I cannot, You know, but I do not know, and You know everything about O Allah, if You know that this deed (and a man should be told what he intends to do) will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or: ... sooner or later), then predestinate it for me, make it easy for me, and then give me Your blessing on this; if You know that this matter will be harmful to my religion, to my life and to the outcome of my affairs, then take it away from me, and take me away from it and judge me good wherever it is, and then bring me to satisfaction with it.

None of those who asked for help from the Creator, and then consulted with the believers created by Him, showing discretion in their affairs, did not experience regrets, for Allah Almighty said: - "... And consult with them about matters, and having decided on something - or put your trust in Allah" ("The Family of Imran", 159.)

How many times to pray Istikhara?

Before each important deed, it is enough for Istikhara to do it once.

After asking for advice, the Almighty “inspires the Muslim, instructing him on the righteous path. The one who prays must listen to his heart and do right choice. If the first time he failed to see “signs, then “a person should continue reading this prayer until he feels something. AND There is a hadith narrated by Ibn al-Sunni which states that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If you are concerned about any issue, perform Istikhara, praying to your Lord, then see what first sensation arose in your heart. If after this dua the heart is inclined to do what caused the istikhara, then doing this will be better; if the heart is not inclined, then this matter is postponed. If the heart is not inclined to anything, then repeat more than seven times. .

Some scholars advised repeating prayer until “it will be revealed which of the two things is better.

The one who does Istikhara does not go astray!

Dear brothers and sisters, after we entrusted ourselves to the Almighty, turned to him with a need, after reading the prayer “Istikhara and du” a, we just have to do what our heart lies in. Good for each of us and a good “sign is considered if Allah facilitated the performance of a certain deed, the problem was solved - easily and naturally. And on the contrary, the existence of obstacles on the way is a sign of removal from unrighteous deeds, deeds. Thus, Allah shows us that this should not be done, it cannot be done. In both cases, we must be satisfied After all, by performing Istikhara, we give the Almighty to choose for us what is best. Even if at that moment it seems to us that this is not so. May Allah always protect us and lead us along the path of good and good!

Detailed Desirable Procedure for Prayer of Istikhara

1) Perform ablution for prayer.

2) It is necessary to make intentions for the Istikhara prayer before starting it.

3) Perform two rak'ats. It is sunnah to read in the first rak’ah after the “Fatiha of the surah “Kafirun”, and in the second after the “Al-Fatiha” surah “Ikhlyas.

4) At the end of the prayer, say salam.

5) After salam, raise your hands with humility to Allah, realizing His greatness and power, concentrate on du "a.

6) At the beginning of du "a, say words of praise and exaltation to Allah, then say salawat to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It would be better if you say salawat to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, as it is pronounced in tashahhud:

« Allahumma sally ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kyama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim. Wa barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kyama barakta ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim. Fil ‘alamin innakya Hamidu-m-Majid! or any other learned form.

7) Then read du "a-istikhara:" O Allah, truly I ask You to help me with Your knowledge, and strengthen me with Your might.… to end.

8) After pronouncing the words "... if you know what it is, you need to name your goal. For example: “... if You know that this is a matter (my trip to such and such a country or buying a car or marrying the daughter of such and such, etc.) - then complete the du "a with the words" ... that this matter will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the next). These words are repeated twice - where it is said about a good and bad outcome: "... And if You know that this matter will turn out to be evil for my religion, my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the next) …

10) This completes the istikhara prayer, the outcome of the matter remains with Allah, and for the person - hope in Him. It is worth striving for your goal yourself and discarding all dreams and everything that oppresses and overcomes. You should not be distracted by all this. It is necessary to aspire to the last in which he saw good.

Rules for praying Istikhara

1) Accustom yourself to istikharah in every matter, no matter how insignificant it may be.

2) Learn that Allah Almighty will guide you to what will be better. Be sure of this while making du’a and meditating on it, and understand this great thought.

3) Not valid istikhara read after the ratibats of obligatory (fard) prayers. On the contrary, it is necessary that these be two separate rak'ats, read specifically for istikhara.

4) If you want to make istikhara after voluntary ratibats, spirit prayers or other navafil prayers, then this is permissible, but on the condition that the intention is made before entering the prayer. But if you started the prayer, and did not make the intention for istikhara, then this is not right.

5) If you need to make istikhara at a time forbidden for prayer, then be patient until it time will pass. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, then pray at this time and ask for help (istikhara).

6) If you are separated from prayer by a prohibition on prayer (for example, menstruation in women), then you should wait until the reason for the prohibition passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, and the matter cannot be delayed, then one should ask for help (istikhara) only after reading the du’a without performing prayer.

7) If you have not memorized du'a-istikhara, then you can read it from a sheet. But it's better to learn.

9) If you asked for help (istikhara), then do what you want and be consistent in this.

10) If the situation has not cleared up for you, then you can repeat istikhara.

11) Do not add anything to the du'a-istikhara and do not take anything away from it. Respect the boundaries of the text.

12) Do not let your passions control you in what you choose. It is possible that the most correct decision is that which is contrary to your desire (as, for example, in marrying the daughter of such and such, or buying a car you like, etc.). Moreover, a person who has committed istikharah needs to leave his personal choice. Otherwise, what is the point of seeking help from Allah? He will not be completely sincere in his conversion (du'a).

13) Do not forget to consult knowledgeable and pious people. Combine your istikhara and consultation.

14) Does not ask for help (istikhara) one after another. However, it is very possible when a mother cries out to Allah for her son or daughter so that Allah chooses good for them - at any time and in any prayer, in two positions:

the first - in prostration, the second - after tashahhud, salawat for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him in the form of salawat for Ibrahim, peace be upon him.

15) If there is doubt about whether there was an intention for istikhara and after the prayer had already begun, it became clear that there was no intention, and he was already in prayer, then an intention is made for a common prayer. And then, a separate prayer for istikhara is performed.

16) If there are many deeds, is it lawful to perform one prayer for all deeds or for each deed its own istikharah? It is more correct and better to make a separate istikhara for each case. But if you combine them, then there will be nothing wrong with that.

17) There is no istikharah in undesirable deeds, not to mention forbidden ones.

18) It is forbidden to make istikharah on the rosary or the Qur'an (as the Shiites do), may Allah guide them. Istikhara is done only in the permitted way - prayer and du'a.

What is istikhara?

IN lexical meaning, istikhara - the search for the good in business. They say: "Ask for help from Allah and He will give you a choice."

In the terminological meaning of istikhara - the search for a choice, that is, the search for where to make efforts that will be preferable to Allah.
This prayer corresponds to a prayer or dua read about istikhara.

“The search for a choice between two deeds facing one who needs to choose one of them” (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari)

Her position (hukm)

Scholars are unanimous in their opinion (ijma) that the istikharah prayer is Sunnah. The argument for its legitimacy is the words cited by Imam Al-Bukhari from a companion of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him: “ O Allah, verily I ask You to help me with Your knowledge and strengthen me with Your power and I ask You out of Your Great Mercy...»

When does a slave need istikhara prayer?

A slave in earthly life is faced with situations where he does not know what to do and has doubts. When he needs to appeal to the Creator of heaven and earth, the Creator of people, then he can turn to Him, raising his hands and crying out with a plea for help, wanting to receive an answer to the appeal. He prays for peace and relief. When he embarks on such a matter as, for example, buying a car, getting married, getting a certain job, going on a trip, then he resorts to asking for help.

sheikh ul islam Ibn TaymiyyahThe one who asked for help (made istikhara) of the Creator did not regret, consulted with the creations and decided on his own business". The Almighty said: “By the mercy of Allah, you were gentle towards them. But if you were rude and hard-hearted, then they would certainly leave you. Forgive them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult with them about matters. When you decide, then put your trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who trust.” (Sura "The Family of Imran", ayat 159). Qatada said: " Whoever consults with people, doing it only for the sake of the face of Allah, will be directed to the best path in his business.". Imam an-Nawawi in the chapter "Istikhara (request for help) and mushawara (consultation with people)" said: " Istikhara with Allah, mushawara with people of knowledge and piety. After all, man is not perfect and makes mistakes. Man is a weak being. Different situations can confuse him, and when he encounters this, what should he do?»

Istikhara Prayer

Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah grant him peace and good greetings, taught us the istikhara prayer, as he taught us suras from the Koran, and said: “ When one of you wants to do something, then let him perform an additional prayer of two rak'ats, and then say: “O Allah, truly I ask You to help me with Your knowledge, and strengthen me with Your power and I ask you of Your Great Mercy, for truly You know, but I do not know, for You are the Knower of the hidden. O Allah, if You know that this matter will be good for me in my religion and for my life, and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the Hereafter), then predestinate it for me and make it easy for me, and then do its blessed for me. And if You know that this matter will turn out to be evil for my religion, my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the next), then take it away from me and take me away from it, and predestinate me good wherever whatever it is, then make me content with it.” And said: « And let him do his job” (Bukhari No. 1166).

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ. اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا اْلأَمْرَ — وَيُسَمَّى حَاجَتَهُ- خَيرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِيْ ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا اْلأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِيْ عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيرَ حَيْثُ كانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

“Allahumma, inni astahiru-kya bi-'ilmi-kya wa astakdirukya bi-kudrati-kya wa as'alu-kya min fadli-kya-l-'azimi fa-inna-kya takdiru wa la akdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'lamu, wa anta 'allamu-l-guyubi! Allahumma, in kunta ta'lamu anna haza-l-amra (here the person should be told what he intends to do) khairun li fi dini, wa ma'ashi wa 'akibati amri, fa-kdur-hu li wa yassir-hu li, the amount of barik is fi-chi; wa in kunta ta'lamu anna haza-l-amra sharrun li fi dini, wa ma'ashi wa 'akibati amri, fa-srif-hu 'an-ni wa-srif-ni 'an-hu wa-kdur liya-l -haira haysu kyana, the sum of ardi-ni bi-hi."

How to perform the Istikhara prayer

1) Perform ablution for prayer.

2) It is necessary to make intentions for the Istikhara prayer before starting it.

3) Perform two rak'ats. It is sunnah to read Surah Kafirun in the first rak'ah after Fatiha, and Surah Ikhlyas in the second after Al-Fatih.

4) At the end of the prayer, say salam.

5) After salam, raise your hands with humility to Allah, realizing His greatness and power, concentrate on the dua.

6) At the beginning of the dua, say words of praise and exaltation to Allah, then say salawat to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It will be better if you say salavat to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, as it is pronounced in tashahhud:

« Allahumma sally ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kyama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim. Wa barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kyama barakta ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim. Fil ‘alamin innakya Hamidu-m-Majid! or any other learned form.

7) Then read the dua-istikhara: “ O Allah, truly I ask You to help me with Your knowledge, and strengthen me with Your might. …" to end.

8) After pronouncing the words "... if you know what it is ”, you need to name your goal. For example: “... if You know that this is a matter (my trip to such and such a country or buying a car or marrying the daughter of such and such, etc.) - then complete the dua with the words “... that this matter will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the next) ". These words are repeated twice - where it is said about a good and bad outcome: "... And if You know that this matter will turn out to be evil for my religion, my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the next) …»

10) This completes the Istikhara prayer, the outcome of the case remains with Allah, and for the person - hope in Him. It is worth striving for your goal yourself and discarding all dreams and everything that oppresses and overcomes. You should not be distracted by all this.

It is necessary to aspire to the last in which he saw good.

Ways to seek help (istikhara)

Way one: seeking help from the Lord of the worlds, who knows what is happening, what will happen, what will not be and what will not pass.

Way two: Consultation with knowledgeable, decent and reliable Muslims. Allah Almighty said: “… and consult with them about matters”(Sura “The Family of Imran”, ayat 159).

Here is an appeal to the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in which Allah Almighty said: “... Forgive them, ask forgiveness for them and consult with them about matters. When you make a decision, then trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who trust” (Sura “The Family of Imran”, ayat 159). Despite the fact that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was the most knowledgeable among people, nevertheless he still consulted with his companions in difficult matters. Also, his righteous caliphs held advice with people who had knowledge and piety.

What to do in the beginning: consult or seek help (istikhara)?

Scholars have different opinions about what is the priority - to seek advice or seek help (istikhara)? Reliably, as established by the Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him, in the comments on the book "Gardens of the Righteous" "that you first need to do istikhara, according to the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:" If any of you is preoccupied with a matter, then let him make two rak'ats... ". Then, after performing istikharah three times, if it was not revealed what to do, one should consult with the believers. And then, accept what was advised.

We say that istikhara is done three times, because this was the custom of the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, when he made a dua, he repeated it three times.

Some scholars said that "a person repeats prayer as much as it takes to reveal which of the two things is better."

Conditions for seeking advice. Person to be consulted

1) That he be competent, experienced in business, balanced, scrupulous and unhurried.

2) That he be pious in religion, because he who is not religious is not worthy of trust. Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, says in a hadeeth: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “He who has no trust has no faith and he has no religion who has no obligations.”". This is because a person in whom there is no trust can easily resort to treachery, may Allah protect us from this. Counsel should be given about what is harmful or what is not good. And then one can suffer from harm only to the extent that Allah predetermined.

Actions to be observed and to which attention must be paid

1) Accustom yourself to istikharah in every matter, no matter how insignificant it may be.

2) Learn that Allah Almighty will guide you to what will be better. Be sure of this while making dua and meditating on it and understand this great thought.

3) Not valid istikhara read after the ratibats of obligatory (fard) prayers. On the contrary, it is necessary that these be two separate rak'ats, read specifically for istikhara.

4) If you want to make istikhara after voluntary ratibats, spirit prayers or other navafil prayers, then this is permissible, but on the condition that the intention is made before entering the prayer. But if you started the prayer, and did not make the intention for istikhara, then this is not right.

5) If you need to make istikhara at a time forbidden for prayer, then be patient until this time passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, then pray at this time and ask for help (istikhara).

6) If you are separated from prayer by a prohibition on prayer (for example, menstruation in women), then you should wait until the reason for the prohibition passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, and the matter cannot be delayed, then one should ask for help (istikhara) only after reading the dua, without performing prayer.

7) If you have not memorized dua-istikhara, then you can read it from a sheet. But it's better to learn.

9) If you asked for help (istikhara), then do what you want and be consistent in this. Do not pay attention to dreams and such things.

10) If the situation has not cleared up for you, then you can repeat istikhara.

11) Do not add anything to the dua-istikhara and do not take anything away from it. Respect the boundaries of the text.

12) Do not let your passions control you in what you choose. It is possible that the most correct decision lies in something that is contrary to your desire (for example, in marrying the daughter of such and such or a car you like, etc.). Moreover, a person who has committed istikharah needs to leave his personal choice. Otherwise, what is the point of seeking help from Allah? He will not be completely sincere in his appeal (dua).

13) Do not forget to consult knowledgeable and pious people. Combine your istikhara and consultation.

14) Does not ask for help (istikhara) one after another. However, it is very possible when a mother cries out to Allah for her son or daughter so that Allah chooses good for them - at any time and in any prayer, in two provisions:

the first - in prostration
the second - after tashahhud, salawat for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him in the form of salawat for Ibrahim, peace be upon him.

15) If there is doubt about whether there was an intention for istikhara and after the prayer had already begun, it became clear that there was no intention, and he was already in prayer, then an intention is made for a common prayer. And then, a separate prayer for istikhara is performed.

16) If there are many deeds, is it lawful to perform one prayer for all deeds or for each deed its own istikharah?
Answer: it is more correct and better to do a separate istikhara for each case. But if you combine them, then there will be nothing wrong with that.

17) There is no istikharah in undesirable deeds, not to mention forbidden ones.

18) It is forbidden to make istikharah on the rosary or the Qur'an (as the Shiites do), may Allah guide them. Istikhara is done only in the permitted way - prayer and dua.

Benefit

Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah Almighty be pleased with him and his father, said: A person can ask for help (by making istikhara) from Allah and He will show him the choice. But he is angry with his Lord and does not wait for what will be the outcome. In any case, it is already inscribed to him».

The Musnad contains a hadith from Said ibn Abu Waqqas, may Allah Almighty be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “ The happiness of the son of Adam is the possibility of asking for help (istikhara). The happiness of the son of Adam is contentment with his predestination from Allah. The misfortune of the son of Adam is the abandonment of istikhara. The misfortune of the son of Adam is anger at the decree of Allah».

Ibn al-Qayyim May Allah have mercy on him, said: Whoever believes in predestination, two things are enough for him: istikhara before him and contentment after«.

Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah Almighty be pleased with him, said: It doesn’t matter to me what position I find myself in: with what I like or with what I don’t like. All because I do not know what is good - in what I like or in what I hate».

O Muslim slave! Do not attach importance to the surging discontent and the disasters that have occurred. Perhaps in what you do not like is your success, and perhaps in what you like is your ruin. Allah Almighty said: “… It may be unpleasant for you that which is good for you. And perhaps you love what is evil for you. Allah knows, but you do not know” (Sura “The Cow”, ayat 216).

Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: The one who asked for help (istikhara) from the Creator did not regret, consulted with the creations and was steadfast in business».

May Allah guide you to what is good and good!

Peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet, his family and all Companions.

How to pray Istikhara? When you are going to do something, and sincerely want Allah to show you the right decision, then for this you must first perform ablution (wudu) and an additional prayer of 2 rak'ahs. After the prayer, a special Prayer (Istikhara) should be read. It is reported that Jabir bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: - The Messenger of Allah, (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), taught us that one should ask for help in all matters, just as he taught us one or another sura from Qur'an, and said: "If one of you wants to do something, let him perform an additional prayer of two rak'ahs, and then say: َ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ ََأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْ عَظِيْمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلاَ أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوْبِ. وَيُسَمَُّ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِل ِهِ وَآجِلِهِ ْ فِيْهِ، وَإِنْ آُنْتَ تَعْلَمُأَنَّ هُ ِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَمَعَاشِيْ وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِيْ (أَوْ قَالَ: عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ) ُ عَنِّيْ وَاصْرِفْنِيْ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ آَا نَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِيْ بِهِ "Allahumma, inni astakhiru-kya bi-" ilmi-kya va astakdirukya bi-kudrati-kya wa as "alu-kya min fadli- ka-l-"azimi fa-inna-kya takdiru wa la akdiru, wa ta" lamu wa la a "lamu, va Anta" allam-l-guyubi! Allahumma, in kunta ta "lamu anna haza-l-amra khairun li fi dini, wa ma" ashi wa "akibati amri, f-kdur-hu li wa yassir-hu li, sum barik li fi-khi; wa in kunta ta "lamu anna haza-l-amra sharrun li fi dini, wa ma" ashi wa "akibati amri, fa-srif-hu "an-ni wa-srif-ni" an-hu wa-kdur liya-l-haira haysu kyan , the sum of ardi-ni bi-hi." The general meaning of this prayer is: "O Allah, I ask You to help me with Your knowledge and Your power and I ask You to show me great mercy, for You can, but I cannot, You know, but I do not know, and You know everything about the hidden! O Allah, if You know that this deed (and the person should be told what he intends to do) will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or: ... sooner or later), then predestinate it me, make it easy for me, and then give me Your blessing for it; but if You know that this matter will be harmful to my religion, to my life and to the outcome of my affairs, then take it away from me, and take me away from it and judge good for me, wherever it is, and then lead me to their satisfaction." None of those who asked for help from the Creator, and then consulted with the believers created by Him, showing discretion in their affairs, did not experience regrets, for Allah Almighty said: - "... And consult with them about matters, and having decided on something - or, put your trust in Allah" ("The Family of Imran", 159.) How many times to pray Istikhara? Before each important deed, it is enough for Istikhara to do it once. After asking for advice, the Almighty "inspires" the Muslim, instructing him on the righteous path. The one who prays must listen to his heart and make the right choice. If the first time he did not manage to see the "signs", then "a person should continue reading this prayer until he feels something." There is a hadith narrated by Ibn al-Sunni, which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If you are worried about any issue, perform Istikhara while praying to your Lord, then see what first sensation arose in your heart. If after this dua the heart is inclined to do what caused the istikhara, then doing this will be better; if the heart is not inclined, then this matter is postponed. If the heart is not inclined to anything, then repeat more than seven times. Some scholars advised repeating prayer until it is “opened” which of the two cases is the best. The one who does Istikhara does not go astray! Dear brothers and sisters, after we entrusted ourselves to the Almighty, turned to him with a need, after reading the Istikhara prayer and du "a, it remains for us to do what our heart lies in. Good for each of us and a good "sign" is considered If Allah facilitated the performance of a certain deed, the problem was solved - easily and naturally. And on the contrary, the existence of obstacles on the way is a sign of removal from unrighteous deeds, deeds. Thus, Allah shows us that this should not be done, cannot be done. In both cases, one must be satisfied, because by performing Istikhara, we give the Almighty to choose for us what is best. Even if at that moment it seems to us that this is not so. May Allah always protect us and lead us on the path of good and good! Detailed desirable procedure for performing Istikhara prayer 1) Make ablution for prayer 2) It is necessary to make intentions for the istikhara prayer before starting it 3) Perform two rak'ahs Sunnah is to read in the first rak'ah after the "Fatiha" of the surah "Kafirun", and in the second after Al-Fatih, Surah Ikhlyas. 4) At the end of the prayer, say salam. 5) After salam, raise your hands with humility to Allah, realizing His greatness and power, concentrate on du "a. 6) At the beginning of du "a, say words of praise and exaltation to Allah, then say salawat to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It would be better if you say salawat to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, as it is pronounced in tashahhud:" Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin, kama sallyaita 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim Wa barik 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammadin, kama barakta 'ala Ibrahima wa 'ala ali Ibrahim Fil 'alamin innakya Hamidu-m-Majid! » or any other learned form. 7) Then read du "a-istikhara:" O Allah, truly I ask You to help me with Your knowledge, and strengthen me with Your power ... "to the end. 8) After pronouncing the words "... if You know what this is", you need to name your goal. For example: “... if You know that this is a business (my trip to such and such a country or buying a car or marrying the daughter of such and such, etc.) - then complete the du "a with the words" ... that this business will be good for my religion, for my life and for the outcome of my deeds (or he said: for this life and the future)". These words are repeated twice - where it is said about a good and bad outcome: "... And if You know that this business will turn into evil for my religion, my life and for the outcome of my affairs (or he said: for this life and the future) ... "9) Then read salawat to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as before and salavat to Ibrahim, peace be upon him. 10) This is the end of the istikhara prayer, the outcome of the matter remains with Allah, and for the person - hope in Him. It is worth striving for your goal yourself and discarding all dreams and everything that oppresses and overcomes. You should not be distracted by all this. You need to strive for that last in which he saw good Rules for performing the prayer of Istikhara 1) Accustom yourself to Istikhara in every matter, no matter how insignificant it may be. 2) Learn that Allah Almighty will guide you to what will be better. Be sure of this while making du’a and meditating on it, and understand this great thought. 3) Not valid istikhara read after the ratibats of obligatory (fard) prayers. On the contrary, it is necessary that these be two separate rak'ats, read specifically for istikhara. 4) If you want to make istikhara after voluntary ratibats, spirit prayers or other navafil prayers, then this is permissible, but on the condition that the intention is made before entering the prayer. But if you started the prayer, and did not make the intention for istikhara, then this is not right. 5) If you need to make istikhara at a time forbidden for prayer, then be patient until this time passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, then pray at this time and ask for help (istikhara). 6) If you are separated from prayer by a prohibition on prayer (for example, menstruation in women), then you should wait until the reason for the prohibition passes. And if the matter can be completed before the forbidden time ends, and the matter cannot be delayed, then one should ask for help (istikhara) only after reading the du’a without performing prayer. 7) If you have not memorized du'a-istikhara, then you can read it from a sheet. But it's better to learn. 8) It is allowed to read the du'a-istikhara before the completion of the prayer, before the salam after the tashahhud. Also, as it is allowed to read it after prayer. 9) If you asked for help (istikhara), then do what you want and be consistent in this. 10) If the situation has not cleared up for you, then you can repeat istikhara. 11) Do not add anything to the du'a-istikhara and do not take anything away from it. Respect the boundaries of the text. 12) Do not let your passions control you in what you choose. It is possible that the most correct decision is that which is contrary to your desire (as, for example, in marrying the daughter of such and such, or buying a car you like, etc.). Moreover, a person who has committed istikharah needs to leave his personal choice. Otherwise, what is the point of seeking help from Allah? He will not be completely sincere in his conversion (du'a). 13) Do not forget to consult knowledgeable and pious people. Combine your istikhara and consultation. 14) Does not ask for help (istikhara) one after another. However, it is very possible when a mother cries out to Allah for her son or daughter so that Allah chooses good for them - at any time and in any prayer, in two positions: the first is in prostration, the second is after tashahhud, salawat for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him in the form of salawat for Ibrahim, peace be upon him. 15) If there is doubt about whether there was an intention for istikhara and after the prayer had already begun, it became clear that there was no intention, and he was already in prayer, then an intention is made for a common prayer. And then, a separate prayer for istikhara is performed. 16) If there are many deeds, is it lawful to perform one prayer for all deeds or for each deed its own istikharah? It is more correct and better to make a separate istikhara for each case. But if you combine them, then there will be nothing wrong with that. 17) There is no istikharah in undesirable deeds, not to mention forbidden ones. 18) It is forbidden to make istikharah on the rosary or the Qur'an (as the Shiites do), may Allah guide them. Istikhara is done only in the permitted way - prayer and du'a.

Each person is faced with situations when he does not know what to do and has doubts. For such cases, Sharia provides a special prayer - istikhara. It is done for peace and ease of affairs. Istikhara is desirable when a person embarks on such matters as, for example, buying a car, getting married, looking for a job, going on a trip ...

sheikh ul islam Ibn Taymiyyahsaid: Allah Almighty said (meaning): “By the mercy of Allah, you were gentle towards them. But if you were rude and hard-hearted, then they would certainly leave you. Forgive them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult with them about matters. When you decide, then put your trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who trust

Istikhara Prayer

This prayer should be learned in Arabic. It can be found in any book dedicated to azkars (remembrances of Allah).

Order of commissionprayer-istikhara

1. Ablution for prayer.

2. Intention for namaz-istikhara.

3. Performing two rak'ahs. In the first rakah after the surah Al-Fatiha, it is advisable to read the surah Al-Kafirun, and in the second - the surah Ikhlyas.

4. At the end of the prayer, say salam (greeting).

5. After salam, you should raise your hands and concentrate on the dua.

6. At the beginning of the dua, one should say the words of praise and exaltation of Allah, then the blessing of the prophetMuhammad any known form.

8. After pronouncing the words "... if You know that this is the case ..." you need to name your goal. For example: “... if You know that this is my trip to such and such a country (or buying a car, marrying the daughter of such and such ...).

10. This completes the istikhara prayer. The outcome of the case remains with Allah, but a person should trust in Allah and strive for what will be easier for him. If the matter is facilitated for a person, then this will become an indication for its completion. If difficulties arise in the way of its execution, this will be an indication that it is better to leave this matter.

Ways to find help(istikhara)

Way one: seeking help from the Lord of the worlds, who knows what is happening, what will happen, what is not to be and what is not to be avoided.

Way two: consultation with knowledgeable, decent and reliable Muslims. Allah Almighty said (meaning): “…and consult with them about matters”(Sura “The Family of Imran”, ayat 159).

Although the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)was the most knowledgeable among people, he consulted with his companions in complex matters. Also, his righteous caliphs consulted with people who had knowledge and piety.

What to do first:consult or seekhelp (istikhara)?

sheikhIbn Uthaymeensays that istikhara should be performed first, according to the words of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “If any of you wish to perform any deed, let him perform an additional prayer of two rak'ahs ...”Then, if after performing Istikhara three times it did not become clear to a person whether to do the deed or not, he should consult with the believers and accept what was advised.

We say that istikhara is done three times because that was the custom of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): when he turned to Allah with a dua, he repeated this three times. Some scholars have considered that the istikhara prayer is repeated as many times as necessary so that it is revealed to a person which of the two things is better for him.

Request conditionsadvice. person with whomyou need to consult

. The person must be competent, experienced, balanced, scrupulous and unhurried.

2. A person must be pious in religion.

Actions to be observed and to which attention must be paid

1. One should accustom oneself to istikharah in every matter, even if it is not very important.

2. It must be learned that Allah Almighty is best able to guide a person to what is best for him. You should be sure of this when making dua.

3. For dua-istikhara, a separate prayer of two rak'ahs should be performed.

4. Istikhara prayer should not be performed at the time forbidden for prayer.

5. If a person has not learned dua-istikhara, it can be read from a sheet.

6. If the situation has not cleared up, then you can repeat the istikhara.

7. Istikhara is not performed by one person for another. However, anyone can make dua for another. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When any slave of Allah, professing Islam, turns to Allah with a prayer for his absent brother, the angel (who is next to him) always says:“ And the same to you!(Muslim).

8. If there are many deeds, is it possible to perform one prayer for all deeds, or should a separate istikhara prayer be performed for each deed? It is better to perform a separate istikhara prayer for each deed. But if you combine them, then there will be nothing wrong with that.

9. Istikhara is not performed for undesirable deeds, let alone forbidden ones.

10. It is forbidden to perform "Istikhara on the rosary" or the Koran (as practiced by the Rafidah). Istikhara is performed only in the manner established by Sharia - prayer and dua.

Conclusion

It is reported that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The happiness of the son of Adam is the possibility of asking for help (istikhara). The happiness of the son of Adam is contentment with the predestination from Allah. The misfortune of the son of Adam is the abandonment of istikhara. The misfortune of the son of Adam is anger at the decree of Allah."

Ibn al-Qayyim (May Allah have mercy on him) said: “Whoever believes in predestination, two things are enough for him: istikhara before him and contentment after.”

Umar ibn al-Khattab(May Allah be pleased with him) said: “It doesn’t matter to me what position I find myself in: with what I like, or with what I don’t like. Because I don’t know what is good: in what I like, or in what I hate.”

Should not be given of great importance surging discontent and disasters that have occurred. Perhaps in what you do not like, there is your success, and perhaps in the work that you like, your death. Allah Almighty said (meaning): “…Perhaps you dislike what is good for you. And perhaps you love what is evil for you. Allah knows and you do not know "(Sura "Cow", ayat 216).

Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:“The one who asked for help (istikhara) from the Creator, consulted with the creations and was steadfast in business, will not regret.” ]§[

Correct understanding of istikharah

Mawlana Badr-e-alalam Mirthi (may Allah have mercy on him), the former sheikh al-hadith of the renewed dar al-ulum in Dabhel (India), writes about the correct understanding of istikhara in the notes to the famous commentary on Bukhari's Sahih Fayd al-Bari who wrote Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri (may Allah have mercy on him):

“... in other words, people often misunderstand the words of scholars, deciding that the hadiths about istikhara contain a promise that the heart of a person who has performed istikharah will incline to one or another decision, while a person who has performed istikharah often does not find in his heart nothing like this. In that case, what do the hadeeths mean? It was incomprehensible, and I could not find a suitable explanation ... "

Mavlyana continues:

“... until he found himself in the company of the great mufassir and muhaddis - allam Shabbir Ahmed Usmani. And I saw him convey oceans of knowledge to the scientists who gathered around him. This happened every Friday after the Friday prayer. Once he analyzed this topic and covered it in detail. And then I quenched my thirst and found a cure for my disease and my heart was healed. He clarified that the hadeeth about istikhara does not contain anything about inclination in the heart or heart satisfaction. If this were the case, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have taught us to ask Allah Almighty in dua to direct our hearts to the most appropriate solution. But there is nothing about this in the hadeeth. The hadeeth mentions only the request that Allah protect a person from harm and predestinate for him good, whatever it may be. The words (dua) “and turn me away from it” refers to the situation when a person’s heart craves for it (meaning that when a person craves to do a deed regarding which istikhara is performed, may Allah turn his heart away from it and remove this desire and this inclination from the heart). And the words “and turn it away from me” refer to a situation where there is no such thirst in the heart (and then may Allah not allow it to appear).

Thus, both “protection” and “predestination” are carried out by Almighty Allah, because He alone does as He wishes. As for the servant of Allah, he just needs to read the dua, and then make his choice, which will be best for him. This means that he will be given taufiq only for the best decision and only the best decision will be easy for him. Thus, istikhara is a matter (ʼamal) that helps to determine the best for a person.

In essence, as soon as a mustakhir (a person who performs istikharah) entrusts himself to Allah Almighty, transfers his business to Him, asks Him for help, is pleased with His choice, asks Him to protect from evil and harm and bestow good, Almighty Allah accepts it, ordains good for him, protects him from harm and takes care of him. After that, whatever choice a person makes, it will be for the good, even if the heart of this person does not bow to him.

Allama Murada Zabidi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in a commentary on “Ihya ulum ad-din”: “Ash-sheikh al-akbar (quddisa sirruhu) (that is, allama Ibn al-Arabi) said:“ And he must read the transmitted dua after salam. This should be done before every important business. Next, you need to get down to business. If there is good for a person in it, Allah will facilitate its execution, and the work will be completed, and the result will be worth the effort. If a person fails to fulfill his plan and he does not achieve his goal, he should understand that Allah has chosen this for him, and there is no need to complain, because in the end, regardless of whether he succeeded in fulfilling his plan or not, the result will be good. ".

Muhaddis Fadlullah Hydrabadi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in a commentary on Al-Adab al-Mufrad by Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him): “Sheikh Zamlakani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “When a person performs two rak'ahs of istikhara, then he must do whatever comes to his mind, whether his heart is satisfied with it or not.” He also said: “There is nothing in the hadeeth about the heart being satisfied with the decision.”

Shaykh Hyderabadi also says in connection with contentment of the heart: “It happens by the Grace of Allah, it is not considered necessary and does not always happen. Similarly, istikhara prayer is desirable (mustahabb) even if one has already made a decision, because, as already said, istikhara prayer is not a means to know the secret (ghayb), but only a humble request to bestow the best addressed to the One who knows the secret and to whom belongs all power.

How to do Istikhara

Jabir narrates: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us to perform istikhara regarding all matters in the same way as he taught us the surah of the Qur'an. He said: “When one of you wants to do something, he should perform two rak'ahs of prayer, not obligatory (that is, two desirable (nafl) rak'ahs with the intention of istikhara). And then he should say (in dua):

اللهم إني أستخيرك بعلمك وأستقدرك بقدرتك وأسألك من فضلك العظيم فإنك تقدر ولا أقدر وتعلم ولا أعلم وأنت علام الغيوب
اللهم إن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر خير لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري
فاقدره لي ويسره لي ثم بارك لي فيه(أو عاجل أمري و اجله)
وإن كنت تعلم أن هذا الأمر شر لي في ديني ومعاشي وعاقبة أمري
(أو في عاجل أمري و اجله)
فاصرفه عني واصرفني عنه واقدر لي الخير حيث كان ثم ارضني به

“O Allah, I seek the good/better from You through Your Knowledge, and I seek the ability of You through Your Power, and I ask You for Your great Bounty. For, verily, You have Power, and I do not; You know everything, but I do not know, and You know the secret. O Allah, if, in Your Knowledge, this matter is good for me in my religion, my life and the result of my deeds [in the near and far future], then dedicate it to me, and make it easy for me, and bless me through it. But if, in Your Knowledge, this matter is bad for me in my religion, my life and the result of my deeds [in the near and far future], then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and predestinate me good, wherever no matter what, and make sure that I was pleased with him.

Notes:

1. Mulla Ali Qari (may Allah have mercy on him) noted that the words in the hadith “just like he taught us the sura of the Qur'an” indicate the importance of this dua.

Allama Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the meaning of this comparison (istikhara with the sura of the Koran) is that a person is in great need of both sura and istikhara. This means that, just as a person should learn the surah for prayer, he needs to learn this dua for all his affairs.

2. Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote regarding the last words in the hadith "و يسمي حاجته" ("and he must indicate his need") that their explicit meaning is that the matter should be indicated verbally. In this case, it should be mentioned after the dua. But, he writes, it can also mean that a person should be aware of his need and think about it when making dua. The latter opinion was preferred by Mulla Ali Kari. Allama Badruddin ʼAini (may Allah have mercy on him), on the contrary, leaned towards the first opinion, adding that the need should be indicated while reading the words "أن هذا الأمر".

3. In some narrations, instead of the words "و أرضني به" there are the words "و رضني به". Both forms are correct and have the same meaning.

Istikhara before nikah

Abu Ayyub Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Hide the offer, then perform a small ablution in the right way, then perform as many rak'ahs as Allah Almighty has prescribed for you. After completing the rak'ahs, praise and glorify your Lord, then say:

اللهم إنك تقدر ولا أقدر وتعلم ولا أعلم وأنت علام الغيوب
فإن رأيت أن في (فلانة) خير لي في ديني و دنياي و آخرتي فاقدرها لي. و إن كان غيرها خيرا لي منها في ديني و دنياي و آخرتي فاقدرها لي .

“O Allah, verily, You have Power and I do not; You know everything, but I do not know, and You know the secret. If in Your Knowledge (such and such) will be good for me in terms of my religion, my worldly affairs and the affairs of my eternal life, then ordain it for me. And if another is good for me in terms of my religion, my worldly affairs and the affairs of my eternal life, then predestinate it for me.

Notes:

1. In the above hadith, the words “hide the proposal” can mean either that istikhara should be done before the marriage proposal, or that one should not tell others about your proposal until it is accepted. This protects the honor of the girl, and also protects against jealousy, etc.

It is better for men to perform istikhara before proposing to a woman. Women also need to perform istikhara before hosting a prospective groom. It has long been confirmed by practice that if istikhara is done before the meeting, a person receives guidance from the very beginning. It is wrong for men to make istikhara after a marriage proposal. As a result, men consider many brides unnecessarily. It gives women trouble and they expose their faces (We are talking about women wearing a niqab - approx. Per.) to many suitors who then refuse to marry them, justifying themselves by the fact that istikhara did not come out.

2. The word (فلانة) in brackets must be replaced with the name of the intended bride.

3. If a woman performs istikhara, the dua is as follows:

اللهم إنك تقدر و لا أقدر و تعلم و لا أعلم و أنت علام الغيوب. فإن رأيت أن في (فلان) خيرا لي في ديني و دنياي و آخرتي فاقدره لي. و إن كان غيره خيرا لي منه في ديني و دنياي و آخرتي فاقدره لي